Nicholas Maiyo, the chairman of the National Association of Parents, at Sirikwa Hotel in Eldoret in January 2017. [Photo: NMG]Head of National Parents Association Nicholas Maiyo has said that parents should disobey any illegal levies that may be imposed on them and report the principals behind the same.This is after it emerged on Tuesday that some rogue secondary school principals have introduced illegal levies for parents as schools re-open for the first term today (Wednesday).Other parents complained that some secondary schools have slapped them with lists of core-subject books they should pay for. “Parents should not comply. They should insist that the schools follow the guidelines set by the Ministry of Education,” Maiyo told the Star on Tuesday, without naming the rogue schools.Maiyo said that the ministry will provide each secondary student with six books for the core subjects. “Most head teachers have only received three Kenya Literature Bureau books per student. Some are asking parents to pay for the remainder while others say they are waiting for the government to send those remaining,” Maiyo said.The six core subjects are English, Kiswahili, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Biology, says the Star.Parents are required to buy text books for the other optional subjects like Geography, Agriculture, History, Religious and Social Sciences.Parents in day secondary schools were asked not to pay any fees except money for food and uniform. “Any other charges are illegal. And for food, it is an agreement between the parents and the school, they should not be exploited,” Maiyo said.Under the free secondary school education plan, the government will pay Sh22,244 for every student meaning all day secondary schools are free, and parents would only pay for meals and uniform.Parents with children in national and extra-county schools in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu and Eldoret will pay a maximum Sh53,000. Maximum fee for other boarding secondary schools has been set at Sh40,545.

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